1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a facsimile system having a facsimile machine connected to an external data processing device, such as a personal computer.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventional facsimile machines have an auto-answer capability. As described in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication (Kokai) No. HEI-1-286671, when the facsimile machine receives an incoming voice message (voice data) and/or image data from a remote facsimile machine or other data communicating device in the auto-answer mode, the received image data is stored in a data storage device in the form of a digital signal. Then, the image data is printed on a recording paper and the voice message is reproduced from a speaker.
The conventional facsimile machines also have a memory transmission capability and a scheduled/delayed transmission capability. The memory transmission is performed by storing image data in a memory prior to transmission and then transmitting the image data stored therein to the remote facsimile machine. The scheduled/delayed transmission is for scheduling a time of facsimile transmissions. If an operator scans a document into a memory-equipped machine and programs it to dial up and transmit the document at a specific time or after a certain period of time has passed, the operator can enjoy the ultimate in unattended facsimile operation. When the scheduled/delayed transmission is to be performed, the memory is typically occupied and thus not available for the transmission of another data.
Recently proposed facsimile machines have a multi-copying capability capable of generating plural sets of copies of the original documents. Some facsimile machines have a sort copy mode capable of sorting the copies of the original documents to agree with the pages of the original documents. When such features are used, the memory of such a facsimile machine is urged to store a large amount of data on the original documents. However, the memory of the facsimile machine does not have a large storage capacity and thus is liable to become full when the document data is stored therein. Consequently, when one of the above features or functions of the facsimile machine is used, the remaining features of the facsimile machine cannot be used.
Japanese Patent Publication (Kokoku) No. SHO-63-13391 and Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication (Kokai) No. HEI-6-98077 describe providing an interface (I/O port) to the facsimile machine allowing to connect the facsimile machine to a personal computer (PC). Such a facsimile/PC combination is convenient because the facsimile machine can be used as a terminal of the PC. The document data produced by the PC can be sent to a remote facsimile machine through the facsimile machine serving as the terminal. Also the data sent from the remote facsimile machine can be received and stored in the memory of the PC via the facsimile machine serving as the terminal.
There are other types of facsimile machines that reject reception of the facsimile transmissions in cases of shortage of paper, paper jam, open of a printer cover, a low temperature condition of a thermal fixing heater and the like. Some facsimile machines have a memory reception capability wherein when the facsimile machine is incapable of generating a printed output, the data from the remote facsimile machine is temporarily stored in a memory of the facsimile machine and is later printed based on the data stored in the memory. The facsimile machine with the memory reception capability rejects the reception of the facsimile transmissions when the available memory capacity becomes less than a predetermined minimum. In a facsimile machine of the type wherein on-demand data can be stored in a memory of the facsimile machine, input of the on-demand data is also rejected when the available memory capacity becomes less than the predetermined minimum.